The apps of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Steve Simms
Posted in gentleness, goodness, joy, kindness, love, patience, peace, self-control | Tagged , | 1 Comment

The Worst Religious Advice I Was Ever Given

Posted on January 30, 2013 by Steve Simms

The worst religious advice I was ever given came when I was a student at Memphis Theological Seminary.  A professor in a preaching class said:  “You need to spend one hour of study for every minute you preach.”

Since then I’ve heard this repeated several times.  Unfortunately many preachers believe it and do it.  They sit in their office and read religious academics for hours per week while the moral foundations of our society implode around us.

Unfortunately, studying and lecturing about religious academics have little power to change human lives.  People need spiritual transformation, much more than religious information.  A heady message prepared in a mind may sometimes reach a mind, but a message burning in the heart will consistently ignite other hearts.  Changed lives come from a shared spiritual spark, not from an academic art.

Western civilization needs a contemporary Jesus epidemic (a Christdemic).  We’ve had numerous Christdemics in our history (check out this link:  http://www.thewarcry.org/2013/01/02/when-will-revival-come/), and we desperately need one again.

Life transforming intimacy with the living, resurrected Jesus Christ (Christimacy) is caught, not taught.  It’s not spread by intellectual sermons, but through direct exposure to the fire of God burning in human hearts.  Like the flu, you don’t catch spiritual awakening by hearing talks about it, but by being around it.

Catch hope!  People are catching fire for Christ at The Salvation Army Berry Street in Nashville.  Rather than passive listening to sermons, everyday people are excitedly showing and telling what God has done.  Come catch the spark — Sundays at 10:45 am., 225 Berry Street, Nashville, Tennessee, 37207.

Posted in academics, Bible study, burning heart, change, change agent, Christ followers, Christian, epidemic, expect change commercial, fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, glory days, God, how you catch the flu, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, kingdom of God, kingdom values, Memphis Theological Seminary, moral failure, moral foundations, morality, Music City, religious academics, religious innovation, religious tradition, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, study one hour for every minute you preach | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Where Did Information Come From?

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Steve Simms

We are surrounded by information.  (Some people say that we are in an information explosion, but even uneducated tribal people are living in a world awash in information.)

Every inanimate thing (although it might look as simple as a rock) is programmed full of information.  Humans have discovered some of that programming and put it together in what we call the Periodic Table.  It shows one level of what matter is made of.  (However, we still don’t have a nice, tidy chart for the quantum, sub-atomic level, because it operates in radically different ways than atoms, molecules, cells, and physical objects.)

Every individual, living thing is even more loaded with programming because no two living things are identical.  The information about living organisms is programmed into their DNA.  Humans are just beginning to learn to read the complexities of the DNA code.

So where did all this information and programming come from?  Can an empty computer (just the hardware) program itself?  Can it create its own operating system?

God created the software of the Universe.  He downloaded the operating systems (that we humans are learning to understand)  into the physical world.  (Microsoft is only imitating Him.)

Then God created system operators, who like Himself, had the consciousness and comprehension to make choices and take dominion over Earth’s hardware.  Unfortunately, we have used our consciousness to pursue self-interest more than the well-being of others and the long-term management of the ecosystem we inhabit.

 

 

Posted in atoms, cells, Christian values, Christianity, code, computer science, consciousness, contemplation, creationism, DNA, downloads, hardware, inanimate objects, living organisms, management, molecules, operating system, programming, Quantum physics, science, search for significance, software, subatomic | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Is The Church Trying To Teach People To Swim Without Letting Them Get Wet?

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Steve Simms

I heard a very good sermon today.  But while passively sitting and listening to the sermon, I began to think my own thoughts instead.

I pondered to myself:  Which is more effective in changing lives —  studied and prepared sermons or Spirit-prompted, living words?

The best sermons are informative, instructive, attention holding, inspirational, and challenging.  But the “worst” Spirit inspired words are gripping, life-changing, empowering, convicting, and transforming.

Spiritual life is not taught through sermons that people prepare and deliver.  It is caught through the working of the Holy Spirit.  It emerges when people hear the Spirit speak to them living words.  It spreads when people share Spirit-prompted, living words with one another.

So perhaps the church is trying to instruct people how to swim without letting them get wet.  Maybe we are using the wrong tool for the job of spreading spirituality — trying to talk people into it rather than letting them experience an environment where the Holy Spirit freely flows from one person to another releasing Spirit-ignited words.

An early Salvation Army leader, Samuel Logan Brengle, put it this way:  “Ask to become a channel for the power of the Holy Spirit who is now in you.  Believe God and do not obstruct the way of the Holy Spirit so that He may work through you.  Ask Him to teach you, that you may not prevent His work.  Try to think His thoughts, to speak His words, to feel His love, and exercise His faith.  Ask Him to help you pray when He wants you to pray, speak when He wants you to speak, and be silent when He wants you to be silent.  ‘Keep in step with the Spirit.'”

Why not try this practical advice and quit looking for a person to teach you and/or preach to you.  Instead follow this advice from Brengle:  “You want your leaders to feed you.  But that is not what you need.  You need to feed yourself.”

If you would like to experience a group where people are learning to speak when the Spirit wants them to speak and be silent when He wants them to be silent, you need to visit The Salvation Army Berry Street on Sunday mornings at 10:45, where everyday people show and tell what God has done. — 225 Berry St., Nashville, Tennessee, 37207.

Posted in attention holding, challenging, God, gripping, Holy Spirit, informative, inspirational, instructive, learning to swim, life transforming, living words, Quotations, quote, Quotes, relevation, religion, Spirit-prompted, spiritual, spirituality | Tagged , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Unrehearsed Words — Let Them Be Spoken Live In Church!

Posted on January 27, 2013 by Steve Simms

Unrehearsed words from God are eloquent. Jesus speaks about unrehearsed words when He tells His disciples; “. . . what you are to say will be given to you in that hour.” (Matthew 10:19

Unplanned, unpracticed words are a normal part of everyday life. They tend to be genuine and heartfelt. We speak unrehearsed words all day long.

So why shouldn’t we share unrehearsed words in church? Why shouldn’t church be spontaneous and heart-felt rather than programmed and rehearsed?

But where can you hear unrehearsed words in the contemporary church? Most sermons are very planned and rehearsed (some even involve reading from a manuscript).

Experience Sunday morning — live, unrehearsed, and unedited — at Berry Street, where ordinary people obey the Spirit-prompter speaking from the heart about their love for God.

“Raw, real human conversation can be the most direct path to greater awareness and stronger relationships, even when it’s unrehearsed and clumsy–perhaps especially when it’s unrehearsed and clumsy!” — Beverly Kaye and Julie Winkle Giulioni

Do you want to hear amazing, unrehearsed words from God? Come, visit The Salvation Army Berry Street where ordinary people freely and spontaneously share unplanned words from God.

Sunday mornings at 10:45 — 225 Berry Street, Nashville, Tennessee, 37207.

Posted in Beverly Kaye, church meetings, church program, church programs, contemporary, contemporary church, contemporary society, Julie Winkle Giulioni, live and unrehearsed, Matthew 10:19, ministry, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, order of worship, organic church, quote, Quotes, simple church, The Salvation Army, the way of the pilgrim, unrehearsed, what you are to say will be given you | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Two Questions About Human Leadership Vs. The Spirit’s Leadership In Church

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Steve Simms

Here are two questions about church leadership for pastors and so-called laymen:

Question #1: Who is the most capable church leader in the world?
Answer: The living, resurrected Jesus Christ present in our midst when we gather in His name.
Question #2: Then why don’t we allow Jesus to actually and directly lead our church meetings, instead of running and controlling them with human leadership?
Answer: ?

Possible answers to question #2:

*  The false idea that church meetings have always been run and/or controlled by human leadership.  (The early church had spontaneous, Spirit-led church meetings [see 1 Corinthians 14:26], as did the Quakers and the Prayer Revival of 1857.  Currently the house church movement in China does, as well as much of the organic church/house church movement around the world.

*  Fear of false teaching coming forth.  (However, in our Spirit-led, sermon-free meetings at The Salvation Army Berry Street in Nashville, amazingly in 5 years, we’ve never had anyone share false teaching.)

*  The human need for control — the pastor’s and people’s need for the pastor to earn his keep.

*  The desire for the church service to look professional.

*  The desire to avoid uncomfortable and/or awkward moments in the church meeting.  (However, when this succeeds, it often quenches the Holy Spirit, who Himself likes to stir things up.)

*  Our dependence on programs, bulletins, memorized liturgy, and human agendas.

*  People’s fear of intimacy and desire to be passive spectators in church meetings rather than active participants.

Posted in Christ followers, Christian, Christian community, Christian organizations, church, church history, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, comfort, comfort zone, congregational, deciision making, decision-making, earn his keep, East Nashville, God's government, guidance, homes, house church, human leadership, improv, improvisation, laymen, Laymen's prayer revival, Music City, Nashville, non-church, non-church movement, non-traditional church, order of worship, participatory church, pastor, religious ceremonies, religious innovation, religious tradition, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual leaders, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Learning Bible Info vs. Releasing God’s Inner Flow

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Steve Simms

The contemporary church wants people to know Bible info.
God wants people to grow by releasing His inner flow.

Spiritual maturity will grow only from God’s inner flow.  It’s not produced by the Bible lessons you know.

People aren’t changed by what they know, but by God’s inner flow.

Posted in contemporary church, go with the flow, inner coach, inner rivers, innere flow, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual flow, spiritual formation, spiritual healing, spiritual innovation, spiritual leaders, spiritual movement, spiritual power, spiritual transformation | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Rocket science can’t reinvent the thrill in your life — but Christ can!

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Steve Simms

Rocket science can’t reinvent the thrill (or the wheel) in your life — but Christ can!

All you need is Christimacy — living in continual intimacy with the living, resurrected Jesus Christ.

Why not become a Christimate — an obedient and intimate follower of Christ?  Begin to develop your Christ skills today.

Posted in alternative lifestyle, biblical, bold statements, burning heart, Christ, Christ followers, Christ in you, Christ skills, Christ-centered, Christian values, Christimacy, Christimate, faith-based, God with us, God-intoxicated, intimacy, It's not rocket science, Jesus, Jesus Christ, life, life skills, life transforming, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, relevation, religion, religious innovation, resurrection, resurrection of Jesus, revival, revolution, rivers of living water, spirit, Spirit-filled, spiritual, thrill in your life, wheel | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Don’t collide with the Guide Inside — obey the voice of God!

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Steve Simms
Posted in collision, guide inside, hearing God, hearing Jesus, The Voice, voice of God, voices | Tagged , , | 3 Comments